01 VIEWFEB:NOVEMBER COVER - View Magazines

More documents

Recommendations

Info

OUTSTANDING BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY LODGES South Hants Country Club A brand new exclusive development of luxury leisure lodges and holiday homes just five miles away to the beautiful old town of Wickham. It sits nestled in the exquisite countryside of the Meon Valley and provides both an idyllic place to relax and enjoy life at a fantastic location. Set in a small valley in 11 acres of Hampshire's beautiful countryside, the attractively landscaped grounds are south facing with extensive sunbathing lawns sloping down to a small stream beyond which are the games courts and children's play area. There are many mature trees in the boundaries providing a very sheltered location ideal for sunbathing. Our indoor leisure complex complete with swimming pool, sauna, steam room and spa is situated in the centre of the grounds adjoining the bar and restaurant which overlook the outdoor pool. South Hants Country Club Phone: 01329 832919 Fax: 01329 834506 South Hants Country Club North Boarhunt, Fareham Hants PO17 6JS www.southhantscountryclubholidays.co.uk Email info@southhantscountryclubholidays.co.uk
The View review Following in the footsteps of GK Chesterton and Dwight D Eisenhower, Annie Bullen makes her way to Chilworth Manor Chilworth Manor Hotel • Chilworth • Southampton • Hampshire • SO16 7DT 023 8076 7333 • www.chilworth-manor.co.uk Full marks to Chilworth Manor for responding to the credit crunch with a comprehensive new menu which gives cash-strapped diners a full three courses for just £20 a head. In fact, there are three new table d’hôte menus designed by head chef Chris Keel and his team. They rotate during the week so that guests staying for more than a day or so have a choice of 12 main courses and desserts, and nine starters. And, if you don’t eat your way through three courses, you’ll pay correspondingly less. Chilworth Manor has an interesting history. The long, winding drive from the thatched beehive-shaped entrance lodges dates from its days as a country home for the Fleming family just over a hundred years ago when the present building was completed. It’s large and well-proportioned, the architecture a blend of Victorian Gothic and Art Deco. It has long been known as a hotel superbly equipped for conferences and meetings. That dates from its university days – it became a hall of residence for Southampton University in the 1960s and a residential conference and training centre 31 years later. It’s now privately owned and, while still one of the best-regarded conference centres in the area, attracts private diners and people using the leisure club with its swimming pool, fitness and relaxation classes and beauty treatments. Part of the credit for this must go to head chef Chris, who has devised a range of menus based on modern European cooking, with an emphasis on fresh local produce and herbs from the hotel’s garden. The welcome we received on a wet, chilly evening warmed us as we sat with gins and tonic in the large Art Deco lounge and bar, deciding what to eat, while Tom Coates, the hotel’s food and beverages manager, talked us through the new menus. The dining room is splendid – not too large. and comfortably furnished. We settled at a window table for our starters. Smoked mackerel fillet with horseradish cream and an orange dressing for Roy and prosciutto, artichoke and sweet pepper salad for me. Both came with baby salad leaves, and mine’s light sesame-oil dressing was neatly mopped up with a crusty brown roll. The wine list is comprehensive with a selection of New World wines and some traditional favourites, with plenty of reasonably priced wines by the glass. We each had a large glass of French merlot. Roy chose his to go with his tasty sirloin steak, which came with smoked-bacon and red-onion jus and a selection of baby vegetables – leeks, carrots and a tiny turnip. A couple of roast potatoes were enjoyed. My colourful plateful of gnocchi was sautéed with baby peppers. I’ve never eaten gnocchi cooked in this way before and the Prosciutto, artichoke and sweet pepper salad A plate of excellent local cheeses food v The dining room, splendid yet comfortable finished dish was full of interesting and robust flavours. We could have chosen sea bass or pancooked chicken with wild mushrooms and tarragon. Time for pudding. We were pleased to see good cheese on the menu, without any supplement. It’s all local – from Loosehanger Cheese at Redlynch – and Roy’s generous plateful had a delicious blue, a tangy hard cheese and another with a smoky flavour. I enjoyed a vanilla pannacotta with a raspberry compote and fresh raspberries. There are also local ice-creams and a fruit pavlova on this menu. V The other two table d’hôte menus include roasted pork belly with sweet plum and apple jus, natural smoked haddock, vegetarian tart, wild-mushroom risotto for mains. Starters include crayfish and mango salad, glazed goat’s cheese crottin and asparagus, Cambazola and walnut salad, while chocolate and marshmallow cheesecake and fresh-fruit tartlet are on the pudding list. Many of the rooms and public areas at Chilworth Manor are named after distinguished men and women. The Dorothy L Sayers room is so-called because the upper-crust crime writer, creator of Lord Peter Wimsey, was related to one-time owners of the Manor, which may have been the setting for one of her country-house murder mysteries. GK Chesterton was a visitor here as, it is thought, was his friend Hilaire Belloc. Dwight D Eisenhower has his room, too – it is said he stayed at Chilworth Manor while planning Operation Overlord in 1944. 23 View
Page 1 and 2: Wiltshire THE COUNTY’S FREE INDEP
Page 3 and 4: editor’s View Welcome to the Febr
Page 5 and 6: Waterstone's: • Andover • Eastl
Page 7 and 8: Once upon a time there was a little
Page 9 and 10: Castlegate WINDOWS
Page 11 and 12: Trevor Smith, chocolate champion, d
Page 13 and 14: 18 Ordnance Row Portsmouth PO13DN (
Page 15 and 16: All The Tea in China jacket £59.95
Page 17 and 18: 25% off voucher WE Bring this vouch
Page 19 and 20: ‘… making prunes the most effec
Page 21: View vfood table talk Name: John
Page 25 and 26: Looking ahead Sally Easton looks at
Page 27 and 28: Back to basics Attention to detail,
Page 29 and 30: sigh I feel like Tippi Hedren among
Page 31 and 32: Vanguard Park Homes proudly present
Page 33 and 34: Getting the message schools v Read
Page 35 and 36: Credit crunch worries? One investme
Page 37 and 38: news Rookwood pupil helps sporty Af
Page 39 and 40: Hordle Walhampton is a well establi
Page 42 and 43: View veducation Schoolnews 42 Hamps
Page 44 and 45: 44 joinery | 'join re e- | noun the
Page 46 and 47: QUALITY FITTED KITCHENS FOR THE SPA
Page 48 and 49: View vgardening Little white bells
Page 50 and 51: Enjoy the charm of the Charente-Mar
Page 52 and 53: View vhealth Inspiring infusions He
Page 54 and 55: View vshort story 54 Going once, go
Page 56 and 57: Classified 56 Classified THE ROYAL
Page 58 and 59: View vbooks Enjoy a good read with
Page 60: A spicy mix of food and romance ..f

01 VIEWFEB:NOVEMBER COVER - View Magazines

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?